Ever since the government cut fuel prices at the beginning of April, new regulations were introduced to reduce public transport fares in Jakarta. While most, including taxis and city buses, have already complied, it seems that some drivers of the notoriously awful Kopaja and Metro Mini buses either didn’t get the memo or simply refused to lower their fares.
Today, the Jakarta Transportation Agency conducted bus inspections around Blok M Terminal and found that 34 medium city buses, comprising of Kopaja and Metro Mini, hadn’t lowered their fares in line with the new regulations.
“On average they still charge the old fare of Rp 4,000. It should’ve been lowered to Rp 3,500,” said Mulya, head of the Blok M Terminal, as quoted by Vivanews today.
The agency is enforcing a three-strike rule for the drivers in which their buses will be confiscated after the third violation.
In addition, the agency also confiscated one large city bus, a Mayasari, for not having any vehicle registrations and for charging passengers Rp 5,000.
Can these buses just join up with city-owned TransJakarta already? It’s about time we have one singular and proper authoritative body, like the provincial government, to manage all of the city’s buses, instead of the current chaotic system in which the buses’ owners can do whatever they like in terms of setting fares or disregarding the quality of their buses in order to maximize their own profits.
